Edit Your Location

Five Silent Killers of Women

When probed about the scariest diseases, many doctors point to ones that disguise their warning signs. Known as silent killers, they’re characterized by subtle symptoms that often go undetected. In women, these stealthy life-threatening illnesses strike up to 10 million each year and kill over 100,000.

The following are 5 silent killers in women along and their symptoms.

Uterine Cancer

Uterine cancer develops in the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium. The most common symptom is abnormal vaginal bleeding, including unusually heavy periods, spotting between periods or any post-menopausal bleeding.

What’s tricky is that irregular menstrual bleeding affects more than half of all women at some point and usually has benign causes. Still, abnormal bleeding can signal cancer and should be brought to your doctor’s attention. They’ll conduct a pelvic exam and Pap smear, and may take a tissue sample or perform a pelvic ultrasound, all very effective ways of screening for uterine cancer.